BrendaDonahue's Class

Centennial Education CenterSanta Ana,CA

Hello everyone out there! We are introducing ourselves to anybody onthe web and especially the students from Detmold outlet of AbendgymnasiumBielefeld, Germany who are in this project.

We are studying at Rancho Santiago College's satellite School knownas Centennial Education Center. We are Located in Santa Ana, California(near Los Angeles) U.S.A.

We are participating in this project during our Friday 12-2 p.m. ABEComputer Writing Class. This class meets only for two (2) hours each weekon Friday. We have an open entry/open exit class of about 30 students ofall religions, countries & races. We normally have about 12 studentsattend on Friday.

Our school also offers classes in other areas such as ABE (Adult BasicEducation), ESL (English as a Second Language), High School Subjects takeother classes as well. All of our students take other classes as well.

Centennial Education Center starts at 7:30 a.m. and ends At 10 p.m.Our school is very hard because most of us work During the day or in theevening. For example, I work daily From 5 to 8 a.m. and again from 7-10p.m. Different students have different schedules and they work and studyalso.

We look forward to sharing our school community with you.

By Jaspir Singh

My name is Lorena Herrera. I'm 20 years old. I live in Santa Ana withmy aunt and my cousins. My parents and my brothers are in Mexico. I wantto learn English because I want to work in an office in the future. Myhobbies are going to the movies and listening to music. I like to go totheSwap Meet and the Malls to shop with my cousin Lucy and my friends. I wouldlike to stay here in California because I was born in Orange, California.I like to travel. The places where I like to go are Las Vegas and Los Angeles.I like computers a lot, because I can use the Internet and I can communicatewith my brother, my Dad, my uncle and my friends. When I studied in JuniorSchool I learned to play the guitar a little bit. I love to play guitarwith my family and my friends. When I have free time I like to draw, towrite and read books in English. In the summer I like to swim in the pooland I like to go to the beach. My favorite sport is Volleyball and I playwith my little cousins and my friends.

Hi, my name is Esther! I am from Mexico. I came to the United States lastMarch. I am living in my brothers' house with my nephew. I love my nephew,like a son, because I am single and I do not have children. I have a diplomain Cosmetology, and also I am a nurse assistant. I almost finished my HighSchool diploma while I was in Mexico. I was in 11th grade when I left schoolbecause my mother got lung cancer, and I dicided to take care her. Aftermy mother died I came to live to Costa Mesa whith my brothers.Now I amtrying to improve my English, and obtain my High School diploma, and thenI want to go to college. When I have time, I love to go to the beach, Ilove to cook, and also I like to listen to music,and spend my time whithmy nephew. Also, when my brothers came home, I love to stay, and spendmy time with them.

" Hey guys whats up"

Let me introduce myself. My name is Cristobal Ramirez.Let's talk aboutmy past. When I was in high school I was a very smart man and passed toother grades. I started having problems in school. I was getting suspended,detention and getting in to gangs, but my dad saved me because he sentme to Mexico for 3 years and I did not gratulation from high school. Icome back to school to reach my goal. My goal is to get my GED and I amgoing to make it because now I think of my future.

Hi!My name is Juan Manuel Patino Cuevas and I am from Mexico. I wasborn in Teloloapan, Guerrero, Mexico on March 27, 1975. I lived with myparents, my four brothers, and my sister. I finished Junior High School.When I was in school I used to play basketball and soccer.

On May 15, 1992 I came to the United States, I lived in San Pedro, Californiafor two years with my sister and my brother in law. Then, I moved to SantaAna, California with my cousin. I work in a pizza store as a cook and asa cashier. I am going to Centennial Education Center School and I am takingthree classes. ABE,(Adult Basic Education) Business Skills and ComputerWriting class. I like school because I like to learn English and I liketo learn about computers. In my free time I like to play basketball, soccer,watchtelevition, listen music, go to the beach, and go to the movies.

My name is Michelle Ortiz. I live in Fountain Valley,California.I have been studying here at Centennial Education Center since September1998. am from San Marcos, Hidalgo, Mexico. I came to the USA to improveand learn more English. To improve my English I'm taking many classes suchas ESL Intermediate 3, Writing with Computers, Leadership,Conversation,ABE, ABE Computer Writing and Business Skills. Also I work for the schoolnewspaper.

After I complete my goals here I want to go back to Mexico to startattending the university. Before I arrived here I studied high school inMexico and I had a career as a computer programmer.

My hobbies are watching old movies and reading TV show books, like "Friends","MTV Road Rules" or Irving Wallace's Books and magazines. I dosome rollerblading and I play soccer too. I like to travel and meet peoplefrom other countries. I listen to all kinds of Music. My favorite groupsare Savage Garden, Spice Girls, Aerosmith, Alanis Morrisette, Oasis, AndreaBoccelli, Back Street Boys and others. I like dancing and go shopping too.I love to have penpals around the world.My friends and I are planning tomove to New York or Boston in the next few years. We would get jobs andpractice our English.

Hi!

My name is Zoila Garibay. I am the youngest of a big family of eightchildren. I am twenty four years old and happily single, with a lovelyboyfriend for almost three years. I live with one of mysisters, two fishand a cat. The rest of my family still live in my little town of Cuautitlan,Jalisco, Mexico.

I arrived in the United States on February 6, 1994. I started takingEnglish as a Second Lenguage classes a few months after my arrival andthank God for my desire to move ahead. I haven't stoped! I'm not workingfor the moment. I'm a full time student. I'm taking Intermediate Three,High School Subjects and recently Computer Writing Class.

I have a lot of things in mind at this moment, so that's why I haven'treally set up my goals. In fact, I would like to learn more about computersand see if it is really what I'm going to choose to do, considering thatthey are going to be the tool in the year two thousand.

Therefore, I'll just keep my self together on my studies and my majorgoal will come itself.

Hi my name is Sara Ramirez

I going to talk about my life. I was born in Guatemala, but I livedin Mexico City for 13 years. I studied Elementary school and part of myIntermediate shool in Mexico City.

Now I will talk about how I got to California. My dad came first. Helived here for 3 years by himself. We lived separately for 3 years frommy dad. He sent money and called us once at week. One day my dad calledmy mom and he said,"now is the time that everybody came to live withme," The day came and we were reunited with my dad.

How is my live in California? I have attended 1 year and 6 months atSpurgeon Intermediante School. My first day at school was very scary. Ididn't know anything about this state and the language that everyone spoke.But, thanks to all my teachers and friends they help me to go through everything.I graduated from Spurgeon Intermediate School. I attended 2 years at ValleyHigh School. In high school I know my boyfriend, now he is my husband andwe live together, I had to leave school and start working. I lived withmy husband for 6 years and we have one son. Now I attend Centennial EducationCenter I have an ABE class and my goal is to get my GED and get a career.This is part of my life.Thank you for reading my story.

Hi!

My name is Luis Antonio Gomez. I was born in Mexico. I came to the UnitedStates many years ago. I am taking classes at Rancho Santiago . I wantto improve my English skills and learn more about computers.

I like to watch soccer games, especially the World Cup. Whenever I havetime I go to watch soccer games in my home town. I like reading and listeningto soft music.

Some day I would like to travel to Europe and to visit as many citiesas I can. That would be a nice experience.
 
 

Hello! My name is Jasbir Singh. I came from India in June 1997. I havebeen living in Santa Ana since last month. I was born in Nanded City inIndia and grew up in Amritsar, the holiest & famous city of PunjabState of India. I belong to a Sikh family.

I have passed Middle standard class(8th) & Matriculation(High School)at N.S. Khalsa High School, Sultanpur Lodhi, and finished PreUniversityin Khalsa College Amritsar,and Part 1 of B.A. degree in Guru Nanak DevUniversity ,Amritsar, Punjab.

In childhood I used to collect stamps, play in the sand, and play Cricket,As a teenage I liked to play Badminton, Hockey and listen to music. I learnedto play some Indian musical instruments.

I was interested in learning more but I didn't get the opportunity.Mygoal is to become a Computer Engineer and I want to know more & moreabout computers and their functions and advantages.

Therefore, I joined the class and hope that with the blessings and appreciationof my nice teachers my dreams will come true.Now I'm attending ESL Intermediate2 level,ABE (Adult Basic Education), Business Skills, Pronunciation classand Internet class at Centenial College, Santa Ana. I am also doing someother things for our comunity. I teach children the Sikh History, Cultureand traditions,and Punjabi Language & some lessons on Punjabi Music.This way they can be involved with their native culture & traditions.I am also doing a full time job

My name is Maria Eugenia Gonzalez, I'm a student at Centenial EducationCenter since October 1998. I take different classes here: Writing withComputers, Grammar Intermediate 3, Conversation, Pronunciation and Writing.I was born in Mexico City, I studied Business Administration in Mexico.I also took some computer courses, for example: Windows, Word, Excel, andother word processings. My parents and my sister live in Mexico. I havebeen living here since September 1998 because I think it's a good oportunityto improve my English and I hope to reach my goal very soon, because Iwant to go back to Mexico and get a good job in a big company.

I live here with a female friend, her name is Rita. We have been friendsfor 16 years. I met her in Mexico in school. She invited me to live inher house during the time that I study here and I help her to taking careof her children. She is a very good friend and I'm very thankful to herfor all her help. I have a lot of friends in Mexico and I am very happywith them because I always keep my friends for many years and I have communicationwith them by letters.I like to practice meditation because I think it helpsme to maintein a positive mind which is very important for me to get everythingthat I want and it also helps me to have my mind clear and thinking better.I like to do exercise, eat chinese food, vegetables, and all kind of foodthat does not have fat. I like a lot of things too. For example: I loveFrance. If I could live in other City I would live in Paris. I think thatplace has something magic.My favorite rock music group is "U2",and I like all kind of animals, especially dogs.







My name is Karen Solis.I'm from El Salvador.I came to America in 1998.I'm a student at Centenial Education Center. I was born on December 23,1980.I'm single. I don't work. I love to play basketball and listen to the radio.I practice basketball every weekend. I don't like to cook and clean thehouse. In my free time I love to read and call my friends.

I studied high school and 1 year of medicine in El Salvador.I live herewith my mother and my brother and sister. I don't live with my father,but I love him. My dream is become a Psychologist.

I'm study English all day because I want to learn English very fast.I love my teachers because they are very friendly.

I love Susan like my oldest sister.

Hi! My name is Ermila.  I was born in Bandera, Texas, But I was raisedin Mexico..  Now I live in Santa Ana, Ca.  I am married and havefive children.  I plan to attend school and I am in ABE, about togo to High School subjects.  I like Spanish music, and English. I also  like to have girlfriends, and friends who are boys. I don't talk much, but I
like to meet friends at a restaurant for breakfast. I also like to go tothe beach, and spend time with my children and my husband.  I loveto go shopping, by myself, and I also like to cook food and invite friendsto  my house.  I like to dance to soft music, but now the mostimportant thing is my High School Diploma.    After I getmy High School Diploma,
I want to attend College.  My goal is to be a teacher in the future.

HI! My name is Luis Ricardo Gonzalez. Here in school everybody callsme by my first name "Luis", but at home my family and most ofmy
friends call me by my second name "Ricardo" or "Ricky".

Before I came to the U.S.A. from Mexico I was studying Administration,but I quit because I didn't have a job and I had to pay for my classes.Here I'm studying ABE, computer classes (Excel), and Intermediate III ESL(Englishas Second Language)and everything is free!

My hobbies are riding a bicycle, playing foot-ball, watchingTV, and listening to music. I like all kind of music(have you heard "Banda"music?), and go to the movie theatre.

Hi my name is Jose Rosales. I came to the USA and the Stateof CAlifornia in 1994. When I came to this country I was 17 years old. When I came here I went to High School for 2 years because I wanted tolearn English.  I came here because my mother was here for 13 yearsand she wanted me to come here because she wanted me to learn English.I studied in High School because I needed to learn so much before I couldgo to college.  When I finish my high school I want to go to collegebecause I want to get good work in my future.  When I am not in schoolI like to go to beach with my friends and my cousins because I have a goodgood relation with them.  They are good people to me.  When Ihave a vacation I like to go to Las Vegas with my
friends and  my cousins .  I like to do to many things. For example. I like to play Playstation with my cousins. Sometimes I liketo clean the apartment and watch TV.  I like to go to parties withmy friends every weekend.  I like parties a lot.

Hi my name is Joan Salyer and I live in Santa Ana, California.  Myculture is Samoan.  The food I eat is Taro, Pamsami, and pisupo. To show my pride, is offering the fine mats, the kava, and the materialalong with the paiello. A paiello is a big bucket of corn beef.  Itis offered to the chiefs.  Then the chiefs makes a speech about pride.The chiefs has the tattoos covered from the stomach down to their ankles.My second culture is Mexican.  I eat Burritos, enchiladas, and tacos.I dance to Salsa it has a rythm.  And Italian, and I eat spaghettiand pizza. I'm in College to develop my skills of writing, reading, andmath for A.B.E. Then for Business skills, I develop my typing, keyboarding,typing forms, applications, and business letters.

Hi, my name is Rita Zuniga. I'm a student and a single young lady.I'mfrom Mexico. I have twelve sisters and two brothers. We are eleven singlesisters, and one single brother. I have four sisters in  California.  Myself and two brothers, living in California.The rest of my sisters arein Mexico with my parents. I miss my parents too much.Since I came to thiscountry I have been studying English; first I was in Centennial EducationCenter for two semesters and from there I
transferred to Coastline College for two semesters and then I came backagain to Centennial, because my goal was to study for High School. Now
I'm in High School and from here I'm going to the College to study a careerthat I like. My major is to be a journalist. I like everything
that has to do with people and communication. I know that I have to speakmore English that why  I practice my English in school and in my job.I'm working part time in a Mortgage Company, I work with Loan Officersand Real Estate agents. I'm a secretary. My job is to answer the phone,to help the agents to fill in the packages and to call the clients or otherthings that I can help them with. I love this kind of job because I'm learningso much.I live with my brothers and sisters in Costa Mesa. My hobby isto listen to music and to play basketball, or to talk with my friends bythe phone for almost one hour and a half hours. Every weekend I  goto  eat with my friends and sisters. We go to have dinner,  themovies, or dance. That is all the story that I can say. I have too muchto say but maybe next time, bye.

Hello, to all our friends in Germany!My name is Maria.  I camefrom Mexico City to  The  USA with my family  as a littlegirl. I grew-up here. I've a niece and 3 nephews.   They're cute. We go to school to study the English language.  I've learned somealready.  I'm 35, young and single with several commitments. My
commitments are to keep studying, to keep-up the good work  and tokeep enjoying my stay here.  The American people have been good tous.  I
thank God for that.  I had a dream to know an American and so forth.My hobbies are a few.  I like to walk, play, take pictures, bicycling,dance, sing, watch T.V., listen to the radio, play CD's and tapes, recordmusic, eat out and make friends.  Also  I like to listen to thesinging birds.  My chores are to help mom to clean the house, to dothe laundry, darn clothes a little, dust do beds, take care of the kids,cook food, mop the floor, to translate English to Spanish and to obey herorders.  My type of man is  strong responsible,white, healthy,loving, worker, sweet, with hobbies and chores too.  That's all folks. good bye.


Hi, my name is Leslie Lozano. IÕm 19 years old and I live herein Santa Ana. I arrived from Mexico last week. I studied a career to becomea teacher for one year and a half but I left school because my parentswanted me to come to the United States. I left my friends (Karla, Carolina,Rosa, Dolores y Laura) there and I miss them a lot. The school I was inis in Culiacan, Sinaloa. This is a very beautiful city. I like it so much.I was living in a big house with 26 girls. We had a lot of fun every day,I miss everything I did there.

Now I live with my brother, his wife and his children. IÕm alittle sad because I would like to have stayed in Culiacan with my friendsbut I think that it is impossible because now I have to think about myfuture. I want to become a teacher here in the United States of Americaand I have to prepare my self. I have to learn English, then go to collegeand do a career. I hope to do all the things I want to and be happy forever.I know God is going to help me.

One thing I like to do is watch television. My favorite program is theNanny with Fran Dresher, but I havenÕt seen it since I left Mexico.I also like to read. I like to read about how children learn and how teacherswork with children. The last book I read was "Didactica de la escritura"by "Donald H. Graves". I think it is a very good book and I recommendit to you. I also love to play with my nephews. They like to play balland run. I do everything they want to do.

About my familyÉÉ my parents are Adalberto y Alicia. Theylive in Mazatlan, Mexico. I have two sisters. Their names are Albertinaand Sandy. They are married. I have a brother too. His name is Gabriel.He is who I live with.

I think thatÕs all about me. What about you?

LESLIE LOZANO.

March /19/1999.

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